Attachment for uterine packers.



N0. 700,|39. Patented May I3, [902.

- J. E. FULLER.-

ATTAOHIENT FUR UTERINE PACKERS.

(Application mod m1. 2, 1902. (lo Iodel.)

" Tull UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE...

JOHN E. FULLER, OF MANSFIELD, MASSACHU SETTS.

ATTACHMENT FOR UTERINE PACKERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters latent N 0. 700,139, dated May 13, 1902.

' Application filed January 2, 1902. Serial No. 88,059. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: 4

Be it known that I, JOHN E. FULLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mansfield,

medicated gauze or other suitable packings in the part which is under surgical treatment. ing is usually in the form of a strip put up in rolls after the manner in which tape is rolled, and when the surgeon is about to use the instrument he either unrolls and cuts off a piece about the length that he thinks he shall need and inserts one end in the barrel of the instrument, allowing the other end to hang loose until it is gradually taken up during the operation, or the roll itself is left hanging or resting wherevera convenient support may be had and unwound as used. This, however, is an inconvenient method of handling it and renders the fabric liable to become soiled by contact with foreign matters, so that it is unfit for use unless again sterilized.

The object of this invention is to provide a device to be attached to the packer to hold the roll of packing material in such manner that it will freely unwind as it is drawn upon by the feeder and be held without unwinding except as it is so drawn.

The invention will now be fully described by reference to the accompanying drawings, and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the claims at the close of this specification. In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan of an instrument,"partly broken away, with a device embodying the invention attached thereto. Fig. 2 is a side' elevation.

The packer without the attachment consists of a barrel 1 and a feed-rod 2, usually having a handle or thumb-ring 3 at the rear end. The barrel l-preferably has attached to the sidesthereof two rings 4: 5, in which two fingers of the hand of the operator will be inserted to hold it, and the feed-rod will be operated by thethumln'whioh will pass The fabric which i'sused for the pack-' :through the ring 3, working the feed-rod back and forth, each forward movement feeding the packing and the rearwardmovement of the rod being eifected without pulling back vthepacking with it. a

l 6. represents a roll of packing clamped by the holder, the strips being partially unwound and the end fed into the barrel 1.

The holder consists of arms 7 8, attached at one end to a collar 13 on the barrel 1 andv ,having attheir outer ends suitable. clamps to grip the roll 6. The roll is formed by'a long strip or band of fabric wound close upon itself without anyspool or spindle.

rolled close without any spool or spindle. The best form of construction of the holder now known to me for use with rolls thus wound is to have the arms '7 8 made of springwire and to turn the ends inward toward each other, forming long sharp prongs 9 10. The arms can be sprung apart to permit entering of the roll 6 between them, so that when they are allowed to spring into place the prongs 9 10 will enter the ends of the roll in the center thereof and form a pivotal support for the roll.

In order to retain the rollin shape and prevent side slipping of the strip, the arms 7 8 i s As the gauze strip is usually put up. it is:

the ends of the roll.

The employment of a holder for the packing attached to the instrument renders the packing less liable to come into contact with unsterilized objects and obviates any danger of the roll slipping from the operators hands while the instrument is in use.

. Another advantage is that it is ready for instant use, which is of great importance oftentimes in surgical operations.

What I claim is=- V b 1. In combination with a surgical packer comprising a tube and a feeding-plunger for packing a strip of fabric into cavities, a packing-holder attached thereto having springarms which branch away'from the tube and which are formed at the ends with long, pointed prongs turned toward each other and adapted -to penetrate the ends of a roll of packing formed of a strip wound close upon itself without any bobbin or spool,said prongs forming bearings on which the roll may rotate,

said arms being formed of spring metal and adapted to be sprung apart to admit and to release the roll, substantially as described.

2. In combination with a surgical packer comprising a tube and a feeding-plunger for packing a strip of fabric into cavities, a packing-holder attached thereto having springarms which branch away from the tube and which are formed at the ends with long, pointed prongs turned toward each other and adapted to penetrate the ends of a roll of packing formed of a strip of fabric wound close upon itself without any bobbin or spool, said prongs forming hearings on which the roll may r0- ta-te, said arms being formed of spring metal and adapted to be sprung apart to admit and to release the roll of packing, and having ears at theouter ends of the prongs, substantially as described.

3. In combination with a surgical packer comprising a tube and a feeding-plunger for packing a strip of fabric into cavities, a packing-holder comprising a sleeve whereby the holder may be mounted on said tube, means for clamping said sleeve to the tube, two arms secured to the sleeve and branching away from each other, the arms being turned in toward each other at their outer ends forming pointed prongs adapted to penetrate the ends of a roll of packing formed of a strip of fabric wound close upon itself without any bobbin or spool, said prongs forming bearings for the roll, the arms being formed of spring metal and adapted to be sprung apart to admit and to release the roll, substantially as described.

4. I11 combination with a surgical packer comprising a tube and a feeding-plunger, a packing-holder comprising a sleeve whereby the holder may be mounted on said tube, means for clamping thesleeve to the tube, two arms secured to the sleeve and branching away from each other, the arms having at. their outer ends prongs which point toward each other and adapted to penetrate the ends of a roll of packing formed of a strip of fabric wound closely upon itself without any spindle or spool, said prongs forming bearings for the roll, the arms being formed of spring metal, and adapted to be sprung apart to ad- 50,

mit entrance of the roll and engagement by the prongs, and cars at the base of the prongs to guide and clamp the ends of the roll, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN E. FULLER.

Vitnesses:

WILLIAM A. COPE AND, FLORENCE E. COPELAND. 

